Dr. Adrián de Silva Razo
Board certified
Certificate 4/3819/22 · valid to 2027-03-11
Phoenix, Arizona to Tijuana
Tijuana specialists, coming from Phoenix
Flying into San Diego and taking ground transport to the border is usually easier than the drive. Some patients cross at Nogales instead, but Tijuana has far more clinics set up for US patients.
Distance
About 360 miles to San Diego
Travel time
5.5 to 6.5 hours by road
Coming back
If you fly, do not book a same-day return after surgery.
Distances and times are approximate and change with traffic and with the wait at the crossing. Check the CBP border wait times page on the morning you travel.
Tijuana specialists with certification you can check
Dr. Agustín Rivera Rodríguez
Board certified
Certificate 3434 · valid to 2028-09-06
Dr. Alberto E. Pérez Bañuelos
Board certified
Certificate 1904 · valid to 2031-04-09
Dr. Alejandro Elias Escobedo
Board certified
Certificate 4/1531/24 · valid to 2029-11-08
Planning the trip
The thing people underestimate isn't the price, it's the recovery stay. A surgical trip isn't a day trip: budget for the nights your surgeon requires in the area afterwards, plus the interval before you can fly. Ask for both in writing, and read how the crossing works before your first one.
Questions patients actually ask
How long does it take to get to a Tijuana specialist from Phoenix?
About 360 miles to San Diego. 5.5 to 6.5 hours by road. Flying into San Diego and taking ground transport to the border is usually easier than the drive. Some patients cross at Nogales instead, but Tijuana has far more clinics set up for US patients.
Do I need a passport?
To come back into the United States, yes. A US passport, passport card, or an enhanced driver's licence from a state that issues them. Walking into Mexico is easy; the document you need is for the return leg.
How long is the wait coming back?
If you fly, do not book a same-day return after surgery. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes move at completely different speeds, which is why most patients park on the US side and walk.
Can I drive home the same day after treatment?
After a consultation, yes. After surgery, no: you will need someone else to drive, and most of the procedures people cross for require staying in the area for a recovery period before it's safe to travel at all. Get that interval from the surgeon before you book anything.